A few interesting tidbits regarding the potential destination of defenseman Tomas Kaberle.
Hockey Night In Canada Radio and HNIC I-Desk host Jeff Marek tweeted yesterday that:
(Brian)Burke wants a forward who can score w/size. Bobby Ryan remains unsigned in ANA. Ducks may lose Nieds(Scott Niedermayer). Kaberle on the market. Just sayin...
The Bobby Ryan to Toronto speculation has been in the wind ever since Burke left Anaheim. Ryan was selected 2nd behind Sidney Crosby in the 2005 draft and has paled by comparison to “Sid the Kid”, but is still a great, young scorer. Only 23, Ryan has scored 30+ goals his two full NHL seasons and on July 1 becomes a restricted free agent.
He likely will be demanding in the same monetary neighborhood as Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf($5.3 Million) and if Ducks GM Bob Murray balks at that price, then the Phil Kessel scenario is repeating itself. Ryan could be the target of a team willing to sign him to an offer sheet(which Toronto can’t do), so Anaheim may be forced to move him.
It will take more than just Kaberle to get a young, talented forward like Ryan. That could mean someone like Nazem Kadri or Luke Schenn being part of a larger deal.
In yesterday’s Buffalo News (http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2010/06/thursday-morning-papers.html), reporter John Vogl mentioned:
Tomas Kaberle’s no-trade clause is set to expire, and Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke is ready to deal him…... One of the Sabres' biggest needs is a power-play defenseman, and Kaberle fits that description.
Based on the criteria indicated by Burke, the young, scoring forward that fits the Leafs asking price could be Derek Roy or Jason Pominville, but no one who knows the operating methods of Sabres GM Darcy Regier thinks that he would move either one of those players.
The player that Buffalo is likely to shop is underachieving winger Drew Stafford, who has never been a favorite of coach Lindy Ruff. If Stafford was the player offered, the Leafs are likely to demand a significant throw in, perhaps the Sabres 2010 1st round selection or a young prospect like Zach Kassian, who Burke is known to covet.
Expect the talk to increase exponentially as the draft gets closer. In all likelihood, a Kaberle deal will take place at the draft or before July 1.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»